Mobily at Submarine Networks World 2026: Connecting Continents, Powering Cloud and AI

As demand for AI, cloud, and international connectivity accelerates, Saudi Arabia is strengthening its position as a key digital hub connecting regional and global markets.

At Submarine Networks World 2026, Adel Alaskah, Chief Wholesale Officer, Mobily, shared insights on the evolving subsea connectivity landscape, the Mobily Red Sea Cable, and the role of data centers, cloud, and AI infrastructure in supporting the region’s digital growth.

What did Mobily showcase at this year’s Submarine Networks World?

We participated as a leading digital enabler and one of the largest wholesale and carrier providers in the region.

Our message is simple: Mobily has brought international fiber, subsea connectivity, data centers, and cloud partnerships together into one integrated gateway for Saudi Arabia.

That gateway is built for national and international carriers, regional ISPs, hyperscalers, OTT platforms, and content and cloud providers. And we keep growing it, working closely with local and international partners to expand our footprint and our digital infrastructure.

Can you walk us through Mobily’s submarine cable infrastructure? Specifically, the landings, consortiums, and how you think route diversity.

Our landing footprint covers four gateways on two coasts. In Jeddah, we are associated with AAE-1 and TGN-EA/SEACOM; in Al Khobar, with TGN-Gulf; in Yanbu, with SEA-ME-WE 6, where we are a consortium member and the Saudi landing party; and in Duba, with Africa-1, which landed at our station in 2025.

Our role differs from system to system, and we are always precise with customers what we offer on each one. What matters most to them is not any single landing; it is route diversity, multiple paths, reliable terrestrial backhaul, neutral interconnection, and local hosting. That combination is what makes the Kingdom a true focal point between continents.

What is the status of the Mobily Red Sea Cable, and why is it significant?

The Mobily Red Sea Cable intends to link our Duba station with Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt, adding 140 Tbps of capacity on a new east-west route for hyperscalers, OTT platforms, operators, and the wider digital ecosystem. It opens another path toward Egypt and onward to Europe, separate from our existing routes through Jeddah and Duba.

Secondly, as a wholly Saudi-owned cable, it supports the Kingdom’s digital sovereignty, a key objective of Vision 2030, and it reinforces Saudi Arabia’s position as a major international hub connecting east and west.

Looking ahead, how does all of this position Saudi Arabia as a global digital hub, and what’s for Mobily?

For Mobily, what comes is continued investment in subsea cables, data centers, domestic fiber, and cloud and AI partnerships that turn connectivity into real digital services hosted here in the Kingdom. This is not a single project or a one-off announcement; it is a sustained commitment.